‘Gandhigiri’ style protests against road work in GKVK

July 30: Students of Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK) have decided to adopt ‘Gandhigiri’ tactics to stop the construction of a road in the campus, which they say, will destroy a large part of the green cover.

On Friday, they organised a protest and submitted a memorandum to the BBMP joint commissioner for Bytarayanapura zone, demanding a stop to the road laying work. The protest was launched at a temple in the campus.

The proposed road cuts across the campus and joins Yeshvanthpur and Yelahanka and has turned into a bone of contention between the University and BBMP. Earlier this week, the vice chancellor met the Governor and requested him to intervene and stop the work.

“We have taken an oath that we will not allow any new road in our campus. We seek the support of activists to ensure that green pockets of Bengaluru are not targeted in the name of development,” said a student coordinator.

The students are determined to continue their protest and also enlist the support of NGOs fighting for the same cause. From Monday onwards, students groups have decided to hold silent protests every day in front of GKVK to spread awareness on the need to save the trees.

“We will hold protest after our classes, may be from 4 pm to 5 pm. Our objective is to counter the campaign that the road will reduce the travel time between the city and the airport,” said a protester. The students assert that BBMP officials went ahead with the road project though alternatives were available.

“Records prove that the University was coerced against its will to agree to the road plan proposed by former BBMP commissioner, Dr S. Subramanya who continued to push for the project after he took over as principal secretary, agriculture which made him a University Board member. On his biding, bulldozers are tearing apart the thick forest, the crop research area and everything else in their path,” the protesters claimed.